Saloon Scuttlebutt
by WichitaRed
Summary: ****Spoiler Alert**** If you have not read my tale, Better than Farmington, this will give some details of Heyes' foolproof plan away. This is a follow up to that story..a stop at a saloon, where Kid gets to have a bit of fun.


Saloon Scuttlebutt

Page | 7

****Spoiler Alert**** If you have not read my tale, Better than Farmington, this will give some details of Heyes' foolproof plan away. WR

"That's not the way, I heard it."

"What'd you hear?"

"I heard only the first train was robbed by the Devil's Hole."

Kid dipped his head, elbowing Heyes; he turned his back to the group of men heating up into a good gossip session.

Heyes' eyes sparkled, above the beer mug he was drinking from.

Kid angled his eyes toward the door.

Heyes shook his head.

Kid frowned.

The bartender, set two foaming mugs before the outlaws, barely noting their existence as he hurried down the bar to join in on the debate.

"That can't be." The second man, a pot bellied city gent with white hair and an ornately groomed handle bar mustache, said, "I was running the telegraph when Detective Campbell had me wire Keystone. He said, and I quote, "they were captured by Kid Curry and Hannibal Heyes."

With his back to them, Kid pointed at himself mouthing the word "Kyle" with a shake of his head.

Heyes shrugged, drinking down a snicker.

A weather bent, aged man thin as a scarecrow, coughed, "This be the same ones, who were trussed up a week before?"

"It was."

"Then who'd, he tells you tied them up that first time?" the scarecrow asked.

"He didn't know." The telegraph operator replied, taking a swig from his beer. "Said, he thought they looked like a pair of range hands who'd sold their horse for ticket fares. Next he knew they were holding him and his partner up."

Kid smirked swapping out his empty mug for the one sitting by him.

A young man with eyebrows, as wild as the range, elbowed in next to Kid, mumbling, "Pardon." And, that was all the attention he paid to the two men on his left as he leaned closer to the chatter, "So if'n it were Heyes and Curry who hog-tied 'em. How'd they know it was them?" The telegraph operator opened his mouth but the young man held up his hand. "And, if 'n it were them on board than how can any of you say it weren't them who done held up that gold train."

The bartender set the mug he was drying down on the bar with a loud thump. "Several reasons James." He held up his fist. "One" an index finger emerged. "Heyes, Curry and the Devil's Hole gang is known for being courteous and civil. When was the last time you heard of anyone being injured during one of their robberies?"

The men all nodded.

Heyes grinned, a full flush of dimples, which Kid mirrored back with his own boyish smile.

The bartender surveyed his audience, even nodding to the smiling pair of cowboys who apparently also agreed with him. "The engineer suffered a split skull and the fireman will be sporting a broken nose for weeks to come."

The men nodded again taking swigs from their drinks. Kid turned, bracing his arms on the bar, beginning to enjoy the conversation.

A second finger emerged from the bartender's fist, "Two . . . that second train had the living hell blown out of it. Plenty of good people injured, too. They didn't bother to move any of them out of way. I hear a lot serving up drinks, one thing I've done heard over and over is how the Devil's Hole always moves people a safe distance off whenever they use dynamite. Besides, we all know, Hannibal Heyes rarely blows up a safe, anyways." He set his rag down, "That man is just too clever for such a simple approach."

Heyes nudged kid, waggling his eyebrows at him and Curry rolled his eyes finishing off the beer.

A third finger emerged from the bartender's fist, "Those boys also introduce themselves, apologize for the inconvenience, and thank people for their patience. You hear of any introductions on that third robbery."

All of them shook their heads.

"Hell that first robbery, Heyes sent Charles back here with a gold-double eagle to buy drinks for the house." He picked up a few empty mugs, including Kid's, taking them to the barrel. "So those are my three reasons for knowing it wasn't Heyes and Curry."

James' mouth twisted to the side, one wild eyebrow arching, "Still Campbell says it were them."

The old scarecrow picked up his refilled mug, "I'd bet he were guessing. Sides he's probably still all-twisted up over them robbing the train on his shift the week before."

"That do make sense, I suppose." James conceded.

"It rightly does." Heyes said backing the young man up.

Kid turned with a look of astonishment, just barely shaking his head at his partner, hoping beyond hope that he would stay quiet.

But, Heyes went on, "It sure does, 'cause we just rode in from Big Horn, and I heard the second robbery was done by John Murdock's crew."

Setting his mug down, Curry looked directly at his partner, "Who'd you hear that from?"

Hannibal Heyes passed an incredulous look to Kid, hoping he understood he was interrupting his chance to spin a good tale.

The corner of Kid's mouth quirked up, "Ah, I see from one of them ceiling experts; I tell you Harold, ya got to refrain sharing news you pick up in them brothel houses."

Heyes' eyes squinted, a large flat smile appeared slowly, seeing it, Kid swung round to the townies, "See what really happened, Hannibal Heyes. . ." he took a drink allowing a strained pregnant pause to fill the room. Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, he at last went on, "and this 'other fella' was on the train. Seems Heyes was there for the express purposes of robbing it and being, Hannibal Heyes, I'm sure he had a foolproof plan."

The scarecrow plucked at Kid's sleeve, "Where'd ya hear that, sonny?"

"Yeah, where'd you hear that?" Heyes asked coolly.

"Like he said over in Big Horn and it just so happens, while he," Kid jacked a thumb at Heyes, "was spending his spare time with various calico queens. I spent mine with a good pal, who just happens to be a Deputy Marshall. Thing is, he gets a few drinks in him, he becomes quite the talker; especially if he ain't the one buying the drinks." At, which point, Kid looked directly at his empty mug.

The bartender following his gaze, snagged it up, refilled it, and handed back to Kid, saying, "Go on."

"You see, he told me Curry didn't have no part in that gold train robbery at all."

James tilted his head to the side, like the words were hard to understand, "Well, how'd he know that?"

"Yeah, how'd he know that?" Heyes asked flatly.

"Apparently there was a witness. This witness saw Heyes and this 'other fella' have their firearms relieved of them by one of the outlaws from the Murdock gang."

Heyes sucked on his front teeth, making a low whistle, "Is that right?"

"You're saying, Hannibal Heyes, was held up by another outlaw?" The bartender asked, leaning his weight on the bar.

"By golly," James all but shouted, "Heyes un-gunned, by golly!"

"Suppose it could have happened, if Heyes were with that other fella and not Kid Curry." The bartender said.

"Must have been, because, I've never heard of anything of the sort happening to Heyes or Curry." The telegraph operator said.

"Darn right." James said, leaning into Kid, "Bet it wouldn't have happened if Kid Curry had been there. Ain't no one fool enough to mess with Kid Curry."

A round of nodded approval went around from everyone but Heyes.

"Why sure your right; it's too bad ol' Kid wasn't there to watch over him." Curry said.

"Yeah, too bad," Heyes mumbled, taking a gulp of his beer.

"Ain't it though," Kid replied completely deadpan.

The scarecrow of an old man, scratched at his baldhead, "You would've thought Heyes would've outsmarted that other man. I mean, I've always done heard how Hannibal Heyes could talk a man into doing anything he wanted."

"Oh, I've heard that, too." Kid replied jovially.

"Maybe he was having a bad day." Heyes said, tapping his empty beer mug.

The bartender hearing him set a half-filled fresh one in front of him, focusing his attention on Curry. "Did your friend tell you anything else?"

Kid looked at his cousin from the slant of his eye, "Well, there was another witness."

Slapping Kid on the back, Heyes mockingly said, "You don't say? There was another witness."

"Oh yeah, and she said, Hannibal Heyes and this "other fella" got right back on the train like they were told and sat down nice as school boys."

Heyes leaned closer to his partner, muttering, "You realize I am armed?"

Grinning like the proverbial fox in the hen house, Curry went right on talking, "Hard to imagine such a notorious outlaw leader taking orders from someone else, ain't it?"

A low growl emitted from Heyes.

"Course, this lady also told my Deputy Marshal friend, she believed Heyes and that "other fella" saved plenty of people's lives by warning them to hit the floor right before the dynamite blew."

Heyes turned on Kid, "Now, there is a witness who had her facts straight because they at least match up to what we all know of the _leader _of the Devil's Hole."

"Well that might be, but the next witness he talked to."

The bridge of Heyes' nose wrinkled, "_Not_ another witness."

Kid grinned, so big his cheeks rounded out like apples, "Yup, another one. You see my pal is really through at his job."

"I'd say. He must've talked to everyone on the train." Heyes replied, finishing off his beer.

"Might have, anyway, he said, this witness told him, he saw Hannibal Heyes and that "other fella" crawl up on the roof of the last car."

Heyes looked disgustedly at the clear, empty bottom of his mug and shoved it toward the bartender.

"Now holds on cotton picking second," the scrawny old timer bawled. "Why didn't he tell anyone on the train what he'd seen?"

Kid shrugged.

"I'm starting to think ya might 'en bought your pal a few too many drinks, Mister." James said his bushy brows burrowing together. "That sure don't sound nothing like the Heyes we've all heard of."

Heyes turned cocking an elbow on the bar, "You know what? I agree with you. Doesn't much sound like him at all? What I've read he's a heroic sort of fella."

In a complete flat-tone, Kid replied, "Naw, that's Kid Curry." Heyes pursed his lips but before he could speak, Kid loudly said, "Anyways this witness, he decided not to mention it for his own reasons that is until the train was stopped again. At, which point, he saw Hannibal Heyes and the "other fella" jump off the roof. He said they headed for the hills, taking the rest of the Devil's Hole Gang with them."

Heyes tapped Kid on the shoulder, "Are you sure that's what happened?"

"Must be, they was reliable witnesses."

"Sure they were."

The telegraph operator cleared his throat, "I'd say they were, too." He patted Kid on the shoulder, "What you've told us really links the facts together."

James shook his head woefully, "That's a cryin' shame, I always kind of believed Heyes were better than all that."

"Don't take it too hard." Kid replied. "Maybe he just ain't that good without Curry along."

James nodded, "Ain't that a sad truth."

Having enough, Heyes pulled out two-bits laying them on the bar. "Come on, Wagoner, we best be hitting the trail if we're going to make it to Spotted Horse to meet up with our friends."

The bartender shook his head, laying a chummy hand on Curry's shoulder, "Money's no good. I'm just plum happy you two were able to set the facts straight."

"Happy to do so," Curry finished off his beer." Thanks for the drinks"

ASJ*~*~*~*next scene~*~*~*~*~*ASJ

Kid Curry looked over at his cousin, his smile was brighter than the sun on Mojave Desert and seeing Heyes' tight expression, he broke into full-barreled laughter.

"Go ahead laugh it up."

"Ah, Heyes, it was all in fun."

Heyes shifted in his saddle to stare at Curry, after a full minute, he spit on the ground, "Sometimes, I believe you're more my nemesis than my partner."

"Why? Because, my plan was _foolproof_?"

One dark eyebrow arched.

"It was . . . we got free drinks, and nobody got disarmed, or was forced on the roof, or mistaken for _Kyle_."

Heyes shook his head and kicking his horse, trotted on ahead of Curry.

"Foolproof I tell you." Kid hollered laughing again as he watched, his partner lay his reins across his horses rump, sending the bay into a run.


End file.
